The Start of a Family
by LuLu1007
Summary: What happened after the Battle? Does everyone live happily ever after? Read on to find out. This story is being rewritten to fit it's sequel. Hope you enjoy it!
1. Beginnings and Hyperactivity

The Start of a Family

Chapter 1

The day finally came. Voldemort was defeated. His presence was no longer a threat, and others were finally free to live out their lives without fear. Though lives were lost, and grieving continued on in the months following Voldemort's downfall, the Wizarding world rejoiced, for their hero, Harry Potter, succeeded.

These months turned into years. Those that grieved began to smile and laugh once again. One particular person was Molly Weasley. Losing her son, Fred, took a heavy toll on her. She never wanted to accept his death, but knew she had to be strong in the end for the rest of her family. The same could not be said about George. Fred's death hit him so hard, that he closed the shop to rid himself of the memories of once owning a joke shop with his brilliant other half. The Weasley family tried their best to get him out and about, but nothing seemed to help until Harry spoke to him. After their discussion, George started to come around, but it was a slow process for things to return to normal for him. He knew that he would never get over the loss of his twin, but also knew Fred wouldn't want him to sulk around the house for the rest of his life. Instead, he would want him to get the shop back to working order and inventing newer products, pranking others, and getting on with his life.

Everything was going well for the Golden Trio. Harry accepted an offer of becoming an Auror; the job he had been longing for. Not long after Harry accepted, Ron was recruited by Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic, to help Harry reform the Ministry and seek out the remaining Death Eaters. As for Hermione, she returned to Hogwarts to finish her schooling properly and to take her N.E.W.T.S. Ginny, also, returned to the newly rebuilt Hogwarts to finish her final year. Afterwards, she received a position on her favorite team, the Holyhead Harpies.

As promised, Harry looked after Teddy, with help from the Weasleys and Andromeda Tonks. It wasn't long either, until Teddy had a playmate. Bill and Fleur celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter Victoire, who they named for the victory of the Battle at Hogwarts. Each year seemed to get shorter, with the new workload keeping everyone busy.

Harry proposed to Ginny, after dating for over a year. Their wedding, thankfully, was not interrupted as Bill and Fleur's was. It was a beautiful ceremony with family and friends surrounding the Boy-Who-Defeated-Voldemort and the Holyhead Harpy star. Ron and Hermione's relationship continued to blossom, and it wasn't long until Ron proposed. Their wedding, though, was different from what the Weasley's experienced. Hermione's wish was to have a Muggle wedding. It was just as beautiful as Harry and Ginny's, with the exception of magic. Among the weddings, there were still a few surprises for the Weasley family when George announced he was dating Angelina Johnson, the former Gryffindor chaser. Percy, also followed in this fashion, and claimed his relationship with his new girlfriend, Audrey. The world was finally at peace with the Weasley and Potter families.

Grimmauld Place, once the home of Orion and Walburga Black, was now inhabited by Harry Potter and his wife, Ginny. The walls that were once black now shined with the colors of gold and burgundy. The portrait that used to fill the house with Walburga's shrieks was removed, after polite orders from Harry, by Kreacher. The small elf, disposed of the portrait, by putting it in the attic for safe-keeping. The house, no longer an abandoned building, was cleared of all the Black's possessions, except the most important things that belonged to Sirius. The elves heads that once lined the wall were removed and replaced with portraits of the Weasleys, Harry and Ginny's wedding, Teddy, and other random photos. Number 12, Grimmauld Place, was now a comfortable home where many children could be raised properly.

All the changes were necessary very soon because Harry and Ginny often looked after Teddy. Those moments gave Andromeda time to herself, and were much enjoyed by the Potters because Teddy was a bright and cheerful child. He reminded Harry and Ginny so much of his mother. He had inherited his mother's clumsiness and her morphing abilities. Harry did noticed that he was Remus' son, though. When Teddy didn't morph his appearance, he had Remus' hair, facial features, and hidden mischief. He was definitely the son of a Marauder. That streak of mischief was in action one memorable night.

Teddy had finished his supper and was sent upstairs by his godmother to get a bath. While he was bathing, Ginny turned down his covers and picked up the toys he had played with earlier that day. Teddy walked into his room and sat down on his bed. Ginny hoped that he would fall asleep right away, but her hopes were dashed when Teddy began jumping on his bed. No matter what she did, Ginny could not get Teddy to bed. She did not want to lose her temper with the six year old, so she calmly pleaded with the boy to stop his actions.

"Teddy, please! You need to go to sleep. It's past your bedtime."

"But I'm not tired," Teddy told her while bouncing on the bed. Before Ginny could respond, she heard the sound of someone arriving by Floo, and knew it must have been Harry.

"Harry's home. Teddy, please lie down. Do you want Harry to come up here?"

"I'm not scared of Uncle Harry."

"Ginny?!" Harry called up the stairs.

"I'm up here in Teddy's room!"

"Is he still awake?" Harry asked, before walking into the room.

"Yes. Do you think you can get him to sleep?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." Ginny left Harry to deal with Teddy, and walked to her bedroom to lie down.

"Teddy, why are you giving Aunt Ginny a hard time?"

"I'm not," he said, while he continued to bounce on the bed.

"Really? Well, it seems you are. Now, stop jumping, get under those covers, and go to sleep."

"Okay," he said, defeat evident in his voice.

"Good night."

"Good night, Uncle Harry."

Harry closed the door and walked down the hall to his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and saw that Ginny was lying on the bed face down. He walked over to the bed and found that she was silently sleeping. He pulled back the covers, but she woke up and stopped him from doing anything further.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I wasn't asleep. I was resting my eyes."

"Okay. I'd ask how your day with Teddy was, but from him jumping on the bed at this hour, I'd say it was eventful," he said sitting down on the bed and removing his trainers.

"It went well until he wanted to stay up past his bedtime. How was your day?"

"It was fairly well. Enough paperwork to last a lifetime, but fine just the same." Harry stood up from the bed and walked into the bathroom to shower. Ginny followed and sat down on the corner of the vanity.

"Harry, I was wondering. Have you given any thought on us having a family?"

"I have, but do you want to give up Quidditch? I thought you wanted to stay on the team for a few more years?"

"I thought I did, then I got to thinking about us starting a family. I've been on the team for almost seven years, and I think it's time to seek a new job."

"Like what?"

"Well, Gwenog told me about becoming a Quidditch reporter for the Daily Prophet. I would still be doing something with Quidditch, except I won't be playing it, that's all."

"Love, no matter what you do, I will support you. I want you to be happy."

"So, you don't have a problem with me working for the Daily Prophet?" she asked, feeling slightly guilty about working for the exact paper that printed lies about her husband.

"No. Well, I do have my doubts, but since Kingsley became Minister, I know things will not get out of hand like they did before."

"So, we are in agreement? I'm resigning from the team and taking the reporting job?"

"Yes," Harry said, as he pushed the shower curtain aside.

"Good. I'll let Gwenog know of my decision at our next meeting. Do we want them to know the real reason behind my resignation?" Ginny asked, letting Harry walk past her before following him back into the bedroom.

"I think it's best for them to know just half of the story. No one needs to know that we are trying for a child, except for your family, of course."

"I'm not so sure we should tell _them_," Ginny said, sitting down on the bed.

"Why?"

"Well, I would rather it be a surprise to them when I do announce that I'm pregnant. I don't want my mum to smother me with baby advice before I even get pregnant." Harry laughed as he climbed into bed. "It's not funny, Harry. You know how my mother is. You remember how she was when she found out about Fleur being pregnant with Victoire! I want to wait until it's final."

"Alright. I understand. What do you want? A boy with black hair and brown eyes or red hair and green eyes, a girl with red hair and your temper?" he asked, taking the discussion to a lighter tone.

"Very funny. I'll be satisfied with whatever we are blessed with. A little boy that takes after you would be nice. If he gets the red hair, you'll never hear the end of it."

"Why?"

"Well, my brothers will just brag that he's another Weasley and not a Potter."

"I can defend that. Redheads _are _in my family. Look at my mother; she had red hair. Maybe he'll get her's and not the Weasley red."

"Oh, and what's wrong with our hair?"

"Nothing. Besides, yours is different from your brothers. It's darker. Wait, how did we get this far into that subject?"

"I don't know. Wait, you said something about having a girl with red hair and my temper. What do you mean, 'my temper'? I'll have you…."

"Gin, I was kidding. I wouldn't mind having a daughter that looked just like her mother. She is beautiful, after all."

"You're just saying that to get out of trouble."

"Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not. Does it matter?"

"No. I'm just glad that we are finally talking about this. I don't know how my brothers will take it at first, but I guess they'll have to get over it."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked confused.

"Well, me being pregnant and you an Auror. They'll say something about me having a baby while you are off Merlin knows where, leaving me to raise a child alone if you happen to be killed." Her voice wavered for a moment, but she gained her courage back and looked at Harry, only to find him staring off into space as if he was thinking over something. "Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Gin, you know I wouldn't do that to you, right? I would never leave you to raise a child on your own. I don't care what your brothers may think."

"I know, Harry. Don't worry. My brothers will learn to keep their mouths shut once they get rid of the bats."

"I don't think they'll ever say anything to you after that, but there's always a comeback when they decide to have kids."

"That's true. Can you imaging George having a son? One that will run around pranking everyone he sees."

"He could always turn out like his mother."

"That's likely." Ginny shifted until she became more comfortable and settled beside Harry, with his arm resting along her shoulders. She was getting drowsy, as was Harry, and both were sound asleep before any words could be spoken to one another.

* * *

Two months passed since Ginny and Harry talked about their family planning. Harry was kept busy with a new mission, leaving Ginny behind. The mission led him around all of Europe to find the one remaining Death Eater that was in hiding for seven years. Ginny, after talking to Harry about starting a family, did as she promised and talked to Gwenog. Though she was unhappy to have her best player leave the team, Gwenog gratefully congratulated Ginny, as did the other teammates, and handed Ginny's resignation over. The following days, Ginny received a letter from the _Daily Prophet_, which consisted of her acceptance onto their staff. Ginny felt that someone would have mentioned her husband's fame had brought her the job, but to her surprise, the accusation did not come.

Ginny started her new job soon after her acceptance letter. She was thrilled to be working as a journalist for the _Daily Prophet_. Her family was skeptical about the job, but Ginny insisted that the Wizarding newspaper had changed since Kingsley became Minister. Her first day was a rather interesting day. The head of the Quidditch department showed her around and introduce her to the working staff. Ginny's job required her to visit some upcoming games to gather interviews from the coaches and players. This thrilled her, but deep down she felt horrible that she would have to ask these players inquiring questions. She hated when interviewers cornered her for questions. They always consisted of Harry, and it only made her temper boil over even more. She didn't want to put these people through the same thing; the same humiliation she went through.

The week held progress and her new job intrigued her more. Harry had sent her a letter containing enough details, as to which he would return soon and how he missed her. Never did he mention anything about the mission, afraid that someone might interject the letter, and use the information against them. During his absense, Ginny tried to keep busy with the work her job left her, but the empty void inside her kept expanding. She longed to see him and hold him, but it never came. One particular morning, she became sick. Ginny did not know what the cause of sickness was, and only covered it with the potions she had. Once the feeling passed, she continued onto work, and forgot about what had happened. It did not last long, for the next morning, the feeling returned. This began to worry her, so she made an appointment to see a Healer at St. Mungo's.

The day of her appointment had arrived, and she Apparated to the entrance to the hospital. Passing the mannequin, her thoughts reeled around Harry, and his arrival. Her mind meet reality when she walked through the door of the waiting area. After waiting patiently, the nurse called her name, and she followed her to a nearby examining room. Ginny's nerves began to get the best of her as she waited for the Healer. "What would he find? What could be wrong with me?" she thought. The Healer arrived with a reassuring smile on his face, which only eased her worries. Her appointment, to her surprised, only lasted a few minutes. Her tests results would arrive to her by owl by the end of the week, Ginny's Healer had told her. Surprises seemed to have erupted throughout today. When she arrived outside of Grimmauld Place, Ginny never expected the awaiting arrival of someone in her home.

She opened the door, after Number 12 appeared out of nowhere, and walked towards the sitting area. There, lying on the couch, was Harry. Ginny's enthusiam boiled over, as she ran towards the couch, and pounced onto him. The sudden actions of his wife bouncing on him, woke him from his slumber. He saw the look his wife had in her eyes and his returned the same longing. He held her tight, afraid that if he let go, she would disappear. Ginny clunged to his shirt, breathing in his scent, with tears streaming down her face. Harry could feel the tears soaking his shirt, but he didn't mind. He knew she had missed him, as he missed her, and also knew she needed to release the joy of his arrival.

That night, they laid in bed holding onto one another. While lying there, she told Harry of her appointment at St. Mungo's. He started to worry until she calmly replied that she was fine. In the back of her mind though, she held the thought of what the results would say. Each day, she waited patiently for the results. Ginny tried to keep her mind focused onto other things, such as work, her family, and the upcoming Sunday at the Burrow, but as the week was coming to an end, her mind always revolved around the test results.

It was now Sunday, and the results never arrived. The waiting alone was testing her patience, and her temper was on edge. Harry saw that she was becoming testy, and wanted dearly to help, but there was nothing he could do. They landed a few feet outside of the Burrow, finding Ginny's brothers arranging the yard for the meal prepared by Molly Weasley. Ginny left Harry to help with her brothers, and walked into the house to find her mother finishing the meal with a wave of her wand. Molly turned around, after hearing the door close, and saw her youngest and only daughter standing before her with a sad look on her face. Immediately, Molly abandoned the prepared meal for her family, and switch into mother mode. She searched out the answer by looking Ginny squarely in the eyes. Ginny knew what her mother was asking, and only brushed off the examination when Arthur announced that the yard preparations were finished.

Everyone sat down at the table, waiting to dig into the fabulous meal that Molly had prepared. As usual, Ron was the first to grab the nearest dish of delicious food. The Weasleys and Potters were animately chatting when a brown owl swooped down and landed onto Ginny's shoulder. The owl stuck it's leg out for Ginny to retrieve the letter clinging to it, and waited until she gave it a piece of her food before leaving. Harry, as well as the rest of her family, stared at her with a questioning look. She glanced up at them, and then turned it back to the letter in her hand. Ginny slowly opened the letter to find her test results appearing before her eyes. Her mind seemed to have frozen after reading the results. Her family held their questioning gaze, but Harry noticed Ginny had gripped the paper tightly and saw that her eyes had glazed over. He wanted to know what the results said, but was going to leave it to Ginny to tell him the news. He slightly shook her from the state she was in. Ginny looked over at him and then to her family, before she glanced back down at the paper in her hands. She handed it to Harry, who gladly accepted, and continued to eat her meal. Before she could take another bite, Ginny heard a fork land noisely onto a plate. The moment she looked up, Ginny saw her family standing over the table looking her way. She followed their gaze, and saw that Harry, who still clinged to the letter, had fainted.


	2. Congratulations and Reassurance

The Start of a Family

Chapter 2

"Harry!" yelled Ginny, as she jumped up from her seat. Harry had landed flat on his back when he fainted. The moment he took the letter from Ginny's hand and looked over it, his mind had frozen, just as Ginny's had minutes ago. When he grabbed the results from Ginny, what he had read startled him greatly. Before he knew it, he felt lightheaded, his hearing closed off, and all he saw was black. All the Weasleys stood up and leaned over the table to see Harry lying on the ground.

"Harry, can you hear me?" asked Molly once she walked around the table, and leaned over him. "Harry?"

"Mmm." Harry started to move, but kept his eyes closed. He could finally hear what was happening around him. He took the chance to open his eyes, only to find the Weasleys leaning over him. "What happened?" he asked, slowly sitting up.

"You fainted," said Ron. "Was it something in the letter?"

"Ron, you can be so thick sometimes," said George. "Of course it was something in the letter. He read it and then fainted. What makes you think it was something else? Did you think that he saw a Dementor in the pond and decided to faint?"

"George! You and Ron hush! Now Harry, are you alright?" asked Molly, once she reprimanded her two sons.

"I think so. Just give me a minute."

While Harry regained his composure, Ginny searched out the letter she had received. To her disappointment, Angelina had picked it up and was now looking at Ginny. She wanted to snatch the letter out of her sister-in-law's hands, but pushed that thought aside.

"Angie, do you mind if I have my letter back?"

"Ginny, don't you think you need to tell them?" Angelina asked, whispering it to Ginny, so that their family could not hear her.

"Gin?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Can we talk? Privately?"

"Why can't you say it in front of us?" Ron blurted out, which resulted in a mild slap from Hermione. "What?!"

"We should just tell them. I can't keep it from them any longer now that this whole fiasco has happened," Ginny said, sitting back into her seat.

"Gin, are you sure? What about what we talked about?" Harry asked, sitting back down beside her.

"Let's just tell them."

"Okay."

"What's wrong, Ginny?" asked Molly, concern etched in her voice.

"That letter has some important news that concerns my future. Well, our future," Ginny said pointing to Harry and then herself.

"Get on with it!" yelled a frustrated Ron.

"Ronald!" yelled Hermione.

"I'm sorry, but whatever they have to say, they need to say it!"

"If my git of a brother will shut his trap, I will be able to say that I'm pregnant," said Ginny, who was narrowing her eyes at Ron.

"Oh Ginny! I'm so happy for you!" sobbed Molly.

"Congratulations, son," said Arthur, who was shaking Harry's hand vigorously.

The women gathered around Ginny, congratulating her and talking excitedly about the baby. The Weasley brothers, however, were gobsmacked at Ginny's news. They couldn't believe their baby sister was pregnant. They soon turned their gazes towards Harry, who noticed that they weren't too happy about the situation. Bill seemed like he wanted to strangle Harry for doing such a thing to Ginny. Percy's glare felt, to Harry, like it was going straight through him. George sat back with a small smile playing on his lips. Harry knew he would be the only other brother to understand, and also knew he wouldn't pass judgement over Harry's job and Ginny being pregnant. Ginny finally settled her mother and sisters-in-law down, and saw the looks on her brothers faces. She immediately pulled her wand from her pants pocket and pointed it in their faces.

"Listen up! I do not want to hear a negative word out of your mouths about me being pregnant and Harry's job! I am a grown woman, and I can make my own decisions! If I want to have a baby, I will!"

Ginny's words radiated through their minds. Was she really this grown up? Where did the time go? She's really pregnant? All of the Weasley brothers tried their best to force smiles on their faces, but Ginny saw right through them.

"Ginny, how can you possibly say that?" asked Bill.

"Bill! Why are you judging Ginny's decision?" asked Fleur.

"She... well... I don't know."

"Can't you just accept that I'm not a little girl anymore? I haven't been in a long time," said Ginny.

"I'm happy for you, sis. I can't wait to see my little nephew terrorizing the family. Fred... he would be proud," said George, trying his best not to break down at the mention of his twin.

"Harry and Ginny love each other, like your father and I do, and they planned this. You can't pass judgement about them having a baby. Just because Harry's an Auror doesn't mean that he will abandon Ginny. He'll just be extra protective over her, and I'm sure Number 12 Grimmauld Place will have enough wards that no one will be able to break through them," said Molly, looking from her sons to Harry.

"Yeah, well…" came the collective murmurs.

"Well, nothing. Accept it or face a hex," threatened Ginny, as she raised her wand slightly.

"Fine. We accept that you're pregnant. We're sorry."

"Thank you." Ginny said, looking at her brothers.

The day continued on with the Weasley women talking animately about baby items. The Weasley men, to Harry's relief, congratulated him, and wished him well for the oncoming months. Bill explained what Fleur was like when she was pregnant with Victoire and Dominique. Arthur gave advice from his experiences with Molly's pregnancies. As each man finished, Harry became frightened. In the beginning, he was thrilled, but now his happiness was dampened. He knew what Ginny was like when she lost her temper, but what would it be like while she was pregnant? Harry had to stop the conversation before Ginny noticed anything unusual. He walked over to her, and grabbed ahold of her to lead her into the house. They walked up to her old room, and sat on the bed to talk.

"Ginny..."

"Harry, I know what you are going to say, so let's save it. I know I should have picked a better time to tell you, but I couldn't. Yes, I know we said that we wouldn't tell my family right away, but in some ways, I'm glad we did. Mind you, I don't like everyone towering over me to give me advice and whatnot. I'm just glad that we had the chance to tell them while we were all together. But I never got your response. Are you really happy? When you fainted, it definitely seemed like you were unsure about it."

"Ginny, I am happy. It just took me by surprise. I guess I'm just afraid, that's all."

"Afraid? Afraid that you won't be a great father? Harry, I'm afraid, too. I believe all first time parents should be afraid. And I'm sure your father would be proud; proud that you are carrying the Potter name on."

"Thanks, Gin. You always know what to say. I just hope I can be as great a father as my own. Even if I only spent a year with him, I'm sure he was great. I only got to see what he was like the night he died."

"You'll do fine." She kissed him softly on the lips, and they stood up to leave the room.


	3. Boredom and New Additions

The Start of a Family

Chapter 3

Ginny was sitting on the couch aimlessly reading a book. The house was quiet due to Harry being at the Ministry, and nothing seemed to grab her attention except the silence. Ginny stood up and started to walk towards the kitchen when there was suddenly a knock at the door. Gripping her wand tightly, Ginny turned around and walked to the door. She opened the door, after demanding who was behind it, to find Ron waiting on the doorstep.

"Ron, what are you doing here?"

"Came to see you, of course," he said, walking past her.

"Why did you use the door, knowing that you are a wizard and there is a such thing called 'Floo powder'?"

"Thought a change of plans in traveling would do me good."

"What do you want?" Her demanding tone stopped him in his steps and he looked at his sister with a hurtful look on his face.

"Can't a brother see his sister?"

"No! Not when they are my brothers."

"Okay. George had me come down here to get you."

"Why?"

"Angelina's driving him crazy, and he was hoping that you could distract her or something."

"Okay," Ginny said, unsure as to why her brother wanted her for that reason. She sent an owl to Harry, letting him know where she was, and left Grimmauld Place.

Ron and Ginny arrived outside of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to find the place packed with customers. They made their way through the crowd to find George helping a young customer with a Skiving Snackbox. Ron led Ginny to the stairs that spiraled their way to the flat above. Ginny reached the top, knocked on the door, and found Angelina surprised to see her.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?"

"I was told that I needed to see you."

"George! Why does he think I need someone besides him to complain at?"

"Well, it's nice to see you, too. Besides, I don't think it's that bad that I'm here. I could've had some company myself since Harry's at work."

"Come in. I'm sorry. I've just been a little testy lately. This baby is driving me crazy. I should be at St. Mungo's by now, holding him or her, but instead, I'm still here, waiting impatiently for the moment." Angelina sat down at the table, followed by Ginny.

"Don't worry. I'm sure that he or she is waiting for the perfect chance to make their way into the world. I just hope this one," Ginny pointed to her own belly, "doesn't do the same."

"Are you going to find out, when the time comes, if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not sure, yet. We haven't talked about it. I know Harry really wants a boy, but then he changes his mind, and says something about having a little girl around the house. It doesn't matter to me. Either way, I will be very pleased. How can you stand in not knowing what you're having?"

"I absolutely don't know why I didn't accept the Healer's offer on that. I guess I just wanted to be surprised. I'm hoping it's a girl, but then George says it's a boy."

"A boy, huh? I hope he doesn't turn out like his father, then. You will definitely have your hands full."

"Most definitely. That will be the point where I'm sure I will lose my mind. I don't know how your mother did it, and with two at that."

"Yeah." Ginny felt sadden by the mention of her fallen brother, but brightened her smile at the memories he left behind.

"Ginny, if you don't mind. I'll be right back." Angelina left, and Ginny was alone again, except their wasn't silence. Instead, she heard the sounds of the customers below. Moments later, Angelina came back with a shocked look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"My water broke."

Ginny jumped out of her chair and ran down the stairs to warn George. He was behind the counter attending to a purchase while Ron was stocking their newest product on the shelves. She rushed to her brother's side, and pulled him away from the counter once the purchase was done.

"George, Angie's in labor!"

"What?! But..."

"No 'buts'. Get her to St. Mungo's. Now!"

George ran up the stairs to grab his wife and her things. Ginny could tell he was already in a nervous state and forgetting most of the items his wife needed. She had to go behind him to make sure everything was set. Even sending a patronus to their family was a mild situation. George and Angelina left for the hospital while Ron and Ginny continued with the alarmed customers. About an hour later, both closed the shop, and Apparated to St. Mungo's.

The hours passed slowly, while every member of the Weasley family waited patiently outside the delivery room. Harry arrived a few minutes later, looking slightly ragged from the day's work. He walked over to Ginny's seat, occuping the one beside her.

"Hey, love. Good day?" he asked, kissing her on the cheek.

"Eventful. Yours?"

"The same. Would have rather been at home, but what could I do? Any news on Angelina?"

"We haven't heard much, but I'm sure by the sounds that have been coming from that room, she's about to become a mum." At that moment, George walked out with a small blue bundle in his arms.

"Mum, do you want to hold your first grandson?"

"He's adorable! What's his name?"

"We decided to name him Fred. Frederick Gideon Weasley the second." Molly looked up at her son, and tears began to well up in her eyes. George merely smiled back, proud that he could honor his late brother and overjoyed at being a father.


	4. Jealousy and Excitement

The Start of a Family

Chapter 4

The weeks continued on and little Fred was growing fast. The Weasley's marveled over the newest member, especially since he was the first male to grace the Weasley grandchildren. This did not seem to boost the spirits of Victoire and Dominique. Curiousity and jealousy got the better of them when George and Angelina would bring their newest addition to the Burrow. Even attempts for attention would not break the adults concentrated gaze on the baby boy. To the five and two year old Weasley girls, Fred didn't deserve all the attention and knew he had to go back where he came from. These thoughts were forgotten when finally Angelina asked if they would like to hold Fred. Victoire was skeptical about holding the evil, attention-seeking baby, but once Aunt Angie placed Fred in her small arms did she start to like her little cousin. Dominique didn't quite mirror her older sister's emotions. After Victoire's turn was up, Angelina carefully placed her son in the two year old's petite arms. It wasn't yet a minute when Fred began to cry and drool on his older cousin. The one-eight vella herself, began to cry for her mum and complain about Fred getting her nasty. Fleur immediately consoled her youngest daughter and assured her that he didn't mean to. After that, Dominique didn't dare go near her cousin until Teddy and Victoire got the opportunity to hold little Fred again. To her relief, Fred didn't cry or drool on her, but just smiled. She now held a new appreciation for him and begged to hold her small cousin more.

There was also another person who held appreciation for the youngest Weasley. Molly Weasley, mother of six, loved her grandson more than most grandmothers. When she first heard George announce little Fred's name and his introduction to the family, she remembered seeing a replica of a small bundle in her arms. Except there were two instead of one. Pride and joy filled her heart as well as excitement when she saw the baby boy in George's arms. "Fred would be honored", she thought as her son handed his own son to her. Molly couldn't believe how much he resembled her son as well as his other half. From then on, she gave all her attention to her first grandson. Though she was thrilled to hear that she was receiving granddaughters and immediately falling in love with them the day they were born, she still loved the idea of having a grandson. With every visit from George and Angelina, she dropped everything just to see little Fred, and after these visits, Molly would be questioned by her oldest granddaughter in why she loved Fred so much. It broke her heart to see that Victoire, nor Dominique, were not getting the attention that they deserved. Now, with every visit from her children and families, Molly Weasley made sure she gave enough attention to all her grandchildren.

Since things were going well for the Weasley's, it was quite different for the Potters. Ginny's morning sickness continued to keep her on her toes. She was grateful that Harry was around for her during this time. Harry hated to see his wife go through so much for something so precious. Even her co-workers seemed to notice how the pregnancy drained Ginny of her energy. It wasn't until one day in October did Ginny miss out on morning sickness. She was so relieved to be able to wake up without running to the loo. That afternoon when she arrived at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, she became highly disappointed. The smell of the food cooking in the kitchen below wafted up the stairs to the hallway and disturbed her stomach greatly. "First morning sickness, now evening sickness. What's next?', she thought as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. She walked out of the loo hoping that the months to come were going to be far easier.

The month was coming to a close which meant that Molly and Angelina would be celebrating their birthdays. As usual, there was a party held for them, but this particular one was a surprise to Molly. It was her 54th birthday, and everyone felt it was time to let her have a night of her own to celebrate. The garden outside the Burrow was lit up with enchanted candles, tables were alined with fresh linen atop them, and everyone was gathering around the garden waiting on Arthur and Molly. Within a second of waiting, Arthur led Molly out of the house, covering her eyes and telling her not to peek. He removed his hands and a gobsmacked Molly looked over the garden before kissing Arthur. Her family wished her "Happy Birthday" and handed their gifts to her. As the time passed, others began to leave to settle their children into bed. Molly gave her thanks to those and quick kiss on the cheek. The rest of the family that were still settled around the table began a conversation with Molly and Arthur.. Around midnight, everyone left at the party parted ways and went to their homes.

Ginny woke up to the sound of Harry slightly snoring. She had learned the day before that Harry had taken the day off from work to join her at St. Mungo's for her appointment. Ginny couldn't wait to hear the progress of the baby growing inside her. Harry was dying to learn the sex of the baby, and was willing to let everyone know. His eagerness boosted Ginny's spirits about the pregnancy, and was very grateful for him. She climbed out of bed to get ready, leaving Harry sleeping still. After her shower, she noticed Harry was missing. While getting dressed, Harry walked in with a tray of toast, juice, and some fruit. He knew fully well that she couldn't hold anything down in the morning, so thought that a simple breakfast would suffice. Harry placed the tray on the bed, kissed his wife on the cheek, and went into the loo to shower.

They both Apparated to the entrance of St. Mungo's and walked past the mannequin behind the glass. Ginny gave the nurse behind the desk her information and sat beside Harry waiting for her name to be called. A few minutes later, Ginny's name was called, and they followed the nurse into an examination room. The nurse took Ginny's vitals with her wand, and wrote down the information on the sheet of paper. She left informing them that the Healer would be in soon. The Healer walked in with a chipper look on his face and addressed the Potters. A few minutes after examining Ginny, he asked if they wanted to know the sex of the baby.

"Of course. I don't think I can go the next 6 months without knowing."

"Give me a minute and we'll see." The Healer waved his wand around Ginny's abdomen and a blue light glisten over it. "Congratulations, you are having a boy."

"Oh Harry!! We're having a boy!"

"I know! Isn't it great?"


	5. Planning and Waiting

The Start of a Family

Chapter 5

Harry and Ginny left St. Mungo's with huge smiles upon their faces. They decided that they would go to the Burrow to visit Molly and tell her the good news. They Apparated outside the Burrow where they saw Mrs. Weasley magically hanging out some fresh laundry. Molly turned around surprised to find Harry and Ginny in the garden. She immediately rushed them into the house, sat them down, and fixed them both a cup of tea. All three struck up a conversation which involved the details of Ginny's appointment. Molly was more than enthusiastic about the news of having another grandson, and began planning for Ginny's baby shower. By the time Arthur arrived from the Ministry, Molly had a list of people to invite, gifts that were ideal for the baby, and what food to cook. Ginny looked over her mother's plans and inwardly groaned. The lists were miles long and included unneccessary items and people. She looked to Harry and saw that he was just as surprised. Ginny gave the list back to her mother, but didn't say a word about it when Molly questioned her.

Harry and Ginny left the Burrow and Apparated back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Upon entering the sitting room, there was a letter on the small table. Harry picked it up to find Kingsley's untidy scrawl on the envelope. He opened it to find inside the details of his next mission. Apparently, a Death Eater had escaped Azkaban and was now on the run. He was to report to the Ministry the next morning for debriefing. He laid the note on the table, and looked over at Ginny, who was sitting on the couch reading over her article for the _Daily Prophet_. Harry didn't want to tell her, but he knew he had too, and hated that fact. Every mission that he was on meant that he would be gone for a period of days. This was another one of those missions. He sat on the couch and laid his head in her lap. Ginny looked down to find Harry staring at her. She placed her unfinished article aside, and ran her hands through his unruly black hair. She knew what was wrong; Harry was leaving again. He was about to say something when Ginny placed a finger over his lips. She didn't want him to say anything. Instead, they stayed there basking in each others company.

The next morning, Harry woke up early enough so that he could get his things together for the mission. He got dressed and looked over at the bed where Ginny laid sound asleep. He wanted so much to wake her up and say goodbye, but they had made an agreement long ago. They would never say goodbye to one another in person, but by letter, and so Harry set about writing a letter that told of his undying love and affection for her, how he would miss her, and the belated goodbye. Harry placed the letter on his pillow, and left his sleeping wife.

Ginny woke a few hours later, and realized that Harry had already left. She saw the letter and read it. Tears began to form and spill from her eyes. She placed the letter in the drawer of her night stand. She quickly dressed, ate some breakfast, grabbed her cloak and article, and left for Diagon Alley. The _Daily Prophet_ was swarming as usual with workers. Ginny placed her article on the editor's desk, and went back to her own. Her editor, a tall, skinny woman named Madeline, placed on Ginny's desk her next assignment. She gave Ginny a sympathetic look, and walked back to her office. Ginny was grateful for Madeline. She knew how Ginny felt when one's husband left them for days. Madeline's husband was an Auror as well, but he retired when he returned from a mission injured. The injury was sustained from a curse by one of the runaway Death Eaters after the Battle. St. Mungo's had requested that he should leave the Auror Department for his own safety, and he accepted. Madeline had confined in Ginny that her husband was lucky to live. His injury had taken a significant amount of time to heal. At one point, he lost consciousness and stopped breathing. Ginny thought about this, and prayed that Harry would be safe and come back to her in one piece. She hated to admit it, but it felt like the Horcrux hunt all over again.

That afternoon, Ginny walked to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to visit her brother and sister-in-law. She entered the store to find it busy, as usual. Making her way through the throng of people was difficult, but spotting her older brother was not. George was attending to his customers until he saw his baby sister. He left the customer once he was finished, and made his way towards Ginny. They hugged one another and began talking. After several minutes, George had to return to duty and insisted that Ginny visit Angelina and Fred. She carefully walked through the crowd and up the spiral stairs. She knocked on the door and was invited in. Angelina was finishing with some cleaning and the changing of a dirty nappie when Ginny entered the flat. Angie and Ginny sat on the small couch and chatted about everything. From family to husbands to everyday life, their conversation never faltered. They never even noticed George walking through the door until Fred started whining for his father. Ginny took the opportunity to leave the family in peace and Apparate to her own home.

The next few days seemed to past by slowly, but were a blur to Ginny. Everyday was the same. Get up, dress for work, go to work, and come home to an empty house. It was starting to get to her. The comfort of the house vanished and was filled with a chill that would rattle bones. Ginny hated being alone, and insisted that Hermione visit her. Her friend and sister-in-law gladly accepted the invitation and Flooed over. Hermione dusted herself off, and saw Ginny curled up on the couch crying. She tried helplessly to console Ginny but nothing seemed to work. She, too, hated when Harry or even Ron left for a mission. It took so much away from their lives when they were gone. Hermione continued to reassure Ginny, until a silver terrior burst into the room. Ron's voice filled the room telling them that Harry was back but he wouldn't be able to come home, instead, he was being transported to St. Mungo's. Ron's patronus disappeared as Ginny leapt off the couch.

Hermione and Ginny Apparated outside of the entrance to St. Mungo's. They double checked to make sure that the Muggles were nowhere in sight, and when it was clear, they passed by the mannequin. Ginny rushed to find Ron, and found him talking to a nurse that just emerged from one of the rooms. When the nurse saw Ginny, she left Ron, and went in search of the Healer. Ron hugged his sister, who was begging to know what happened, but he didn't know. He did know that he was to report here by request from the Minister. His only information was that Harry was being transported to St. Mungo's. He explained that the nurse did not know much about Harry's case, but would look for the Healer. Several minutes passed when the Healer made his presense known.

"Mrs. Potter?"

"Yes?"

"Your husband has sustained an injury to the chest."

"Was it a curse?"

"No, ma'am. The Death Eater that he was hunting down decided to try the Muggle way of killing him by using a knife. Your husband is lucky that the blade missed his heart. He also received broken legs, one broken hand, and has a mild concussion. He is unconscious right now, but is doing fine. We have mended the knife wound, but we can't treat the broken limbs until he wakes."

"Can I see him?"

"You can, but it's a bit of a shock. He is badly bruised as well."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Your welcome."

The Healer walked out of the waiting area, leaving Ginny with Ron and Hermione. Ginny turned to her brother and sister-in-law. She urged them to notify Molly and the rest of the Weasleys. She was about to walk out of the room when a nurse blocked her exit. The young nurse told her that she could visit Harry and led Ginny to his room. Upon arrival, the nurse reminded her about Harry's appearance. Ginny pushed the door open to find her husband lying unconscious on a hospital bed. She moved closer to the bed to find Harry in a horrid state. His whole body was black from the bruising, a bump was forming on his head, his right hand looked in perfect shape except for two fingers which were bent awkwardly, and the wound on his chest was at least six inches long. It looked as if the blade not only stabbed him but was jerked sideways towards his left arm.

Ginny sat down in a nearby chair and helplessly watched over Harry. She sat there in complete and utter silence well into the night. The Weasleys visited, and couldn't believe the state Harry was in. Ginny laid down and before she knew it, she was being woken by a nurse. The sun was shining through the window, and cast its rays over Harry's bed. This gave Ginny a better look as to what Harry's body looked like. It was even worse than what she had seen the night before. She had hoped that he would be awake, but was disappointed to find her husband comatose. Deciding that it was best to leave the room for a bit, Ginny left to grab a bite to eat. She came back and found Harry in the same position she left him. It was several minutes later when Molly emerged from behind the door carrying a basket full of food, and the _Daily Prophet _under her arm. She handed the newspaper to her daughter, who began to scan the articles. Once article in particular caught her eye.


	6. Jokes and Injuries

The Start of a Family

Chapter 6

Ginny read over the article twice and could not believe that someone had the gall to print such lies. She handed the paper to her mother, who read the story aloud.

"Potter: A Dead Hero or Cheated Savior?

'Harry Potter, defeater of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has become one of the most celebrated Aurors the Ministry has seen, but will it last? Some officials have stated that his fame brought him to the department and ever since, he has become a panoply for others to admire. These officials have also commented that they became disgusted with the spectacle and have refused to associate with our famous hero. His fame has also branded him as a wanted man by ex-Death Eaters. Though some may be captured and sentenced to Azkaban, it does not stop them from escaping and hunting down the top Auror. One in particular thought it best to escape and hope that he could lure Harry Potter to him. This man that we call our "Savior" did in fact accept that mission and went out to find the Death Eater, but in return, Harry Potter did not make it back to the Ministry in a healthy state. The day of his return, he was sent to St. Mungo's by our Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, where the Healers clarified Harry's state of health. It seems he has received broken bones, internal bleeding, a puntured lung, ruptured spleen, multiple contusions, and is in a coma. They have also reported that he may not make it through this ordeal, but one hopes he will. Could this be the final curtain for our young hero? His family certainly hopes not, especially his wife and famous Holyhead Harpy chaser, Ginny Potter. Mrs. Potter was spotted yesterday at St. Mungo's with a Healer, learning of her husband's critical state. It seems that Mrs. Potter is pregnant, as well. Is Harry Potter the father? Maybe not. Ginny was spotted three months ago with one of Mr. Potter's friends. He has given a detailed description of their rendezvous, and claimed that their meeting became more than a brief hello. It seems that Mrs. Potter is not the woman we thought she was, but instead a woman with more needs than Harry Potter can fill. Will he heal in time to hear about his wife's secret affair? Does he know that she's not carrying his baby? These questions may be floating around, but no one seems to be receiving any answers. Let's hope our Savior will survive this battle and give us the entire truth."

"How dare she?! How dare they let her print lies about me and my husband?!"

"Ginny, dear, calm down," warned Mrs. Weasley.

"I will not calm down, Mother! She is not suppose to be working for them, and look what she has done!"

"Mrs. Potter! Please calm down. You are disturbing the other patients. Now, I have some more news on your husband. The Healer has stated that he can not heal you husband's broken bones magically, but will do so the Muggle way. He has also said that he has found a greenstick fracture on one of his ankles and there is nothing to do except let it heal on its own. The bruising will subside in a few days, so no need to worry about those, and he should be coming around in a day or two. He wants to set the bones while he in still unconscious, that way he won't feel the pain during the process."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Your welcome, dear." The nurse departed the room, leaving Ginny to calm down from her previous rant. Molly went about setting items in proper places until another nurse came into the room for Harry. She set the bed so that it could move, and wheeled him out of the room. While Harry was being prepped, Ron and Hermione walked into the semi-empty room. They stayed with Ginny and Molly until Harry came back. At first sight, Hermione broke down and left the room to calm herself. Ron stood in disbelief, for he had never seen Harry this badly injured. Sure he had sustained numerous injuries while at Hogwarts, but none could compare to what he had now.

The day slowly passed by as many of the Weasleys visited Ginny and Harry. Each family member was stunned to see that Harry was in worse shape than they imagined. Their comments didn't help much, either. Ginny became upset at times, her temper would flare up, and her hexes were flying when someone mentioned the article out of the _Daily Prophet_. No one was safe as long as they were in Ginny's presense.

The next morning, Ginny woke to a sturring noise across the room. She sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and noticed that Harry was waking. She got up from her small bed and walked over to her husband's. He was moving around but wasn't quite alert. Ginny waited a few more minutes, hoping that he would completely awake before getting the nurse and Healer. Harry was looking around the room, finding it blurry as usual without his glasses, when the nurse and Healer entered the room. Harry was now fully awake and questioning his whereabouts. The Healer recapitulated the details behind his injuries and the days he had been at St. Mungo's. He checked over Harry once he finished his speech, and left him and Ginny alone.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been through the Triwizard Tournament four times over. What about you?"

"I'm good. A little upset, but nothing out of the usual."

"What are you upset about?"

"You don't want to know. Let's just say that it will be handled once you are out of this place and at home."

"Has it got anything to do with me?"

"Yes, but it's nothing that I can't handle. Trust me."

"Oh, I do, it's just I'm curious as to what it's about."

"I'm sure you'll find out soon. Right now, we need to focus on you healing from all this."

"Yeah. I guess Kingsley is mad about me being here."

"No, just worried. Do you remember anything from the mission?"

"Just what went on, but once we got him, I was knocked out by someone else. Did they ever find out who it was?"

"I'm not sure. Kingsley didn't say anything. He was too worried about getting you here. I'll have Ron ask him, though." Before Harry could respond, there was a knock at the door. Arthur walked out from behind the door, followed by Victoire, Teddy, and Molly, who was carrying Dominique. At first glance, Teddy was unsure of touching Harry, so he backed away from his injured godfather. Ginny noticed this, and urged Teddy that Harry was just badly hurt, but it would be okay to touch him.

Knowing that Ginny would never lie to him, Teddy walked over to Harry's bed and patted his godfather's arm. Harry looked down at his godson and smiled. Teddy smiled back, grateful that Harry was going to be okay. Molly and Arthur stayed until it was time for the children's naps. Before they departed St. Mungo's, the eldest Weasleys were met by Ron, Hermione, George, and Angelina. Arthur quickly told them about Harry and left the four to continue on to Harry's room. Ron knocked on the door and opened it without a response from the couple in the room. To his surprise, he found Ginny sitting on the side of the bed kissing Harry. He cleared his throat, in hopes that he would successfully interrupt his sister and brother-in-law's current activity. Harry and Ginny both looked up to find the youngest of the Weasleys standing in the doorway.

"Can we come in or do you want to continue your snogging session?"

"Come in and sit down. How are you guys?" Harry asked, attempting to sit up but failing miserably.

"We're fine, but what about you? How are you feeling?" Hermione asked. She had saw Harry trying to move, and started to worry about her best friend.

"I feel fine, actually. Just a little sore. It's nothing I can't handle. I've been in worse scrapes than this."

"Ha! Over exaggerating it a bit, are you?" George stated loudly. "All of those Hogwarts injuries do not compare to this."

"George, please! Can't you let Harry have some peace?" begged Angelina.

"He knows I'm only taking the mickey out of him. Right, Harry?"

"Sure. He's right, though. This, by far, is the worst I've ever been in."

George continued to rib Harry about his existing injuries until it was time to leave. The nurse rushed in to warn Harry's guests that visitor's hours were over. A short while after they had left, Harry broke the silence that seemed to envelope both him and Ginny.

"I noticed that I have some "Get Well" cards."

"Yeah. They're mostly from fans stating that they hope you survive this ordeal. The others are from Teddy and Victoire."

"Um.. why would I not survive this?" Harry asked confused by Ginny's statement.

"Oh, it was the article. I suppose it has everyone worried about their hero. It's all a load of rubbish, really."

"Okay. No need to further that discussion." Harry thought aloud.

"It's best you don't."

"So, I don't suppose I have a "Get Well" card that shrills, do I?" Harry asked, hoping he was changing the mood to a lighter one.

"Harry James! Will you not let that go?! I told you I was sorry about that! I was frightened and shy about seeing you since I had that huge crush on you, but yet, you continue to take the mickey out of me for it!" Ginny's emotions had started to get the best of her, and tears were pouring out of her eyes.

"Gin, love, I'm sorry. I was only joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or upset you in any way."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you. I've just been moody a lot lately." Ginny apologized while sobbing into a tissue.

"It's alright. Now, will my lovely and beautiful wife, who is carrying my unborn child, please come over here and sit by her accident-prone husband?"

"You are not accident-prone, Harry." Ginny argued.

"Really? Why is it that I'm always in a hospital bed with some type of injury?"

"Misfortunes."

"Misfortunes, huh? I beg to differ. Madam Pomfrey saw more of me than any other student. She didn't see it as a misfortune, more of an annoyance."

"Harry, none of that was your fault. Someone always had it out for you, and it just so happened that you sustained an injury and were sent to the Hospital Wing. Like your first year... you woke up after fighting Voldemort, then there was your second year when Dobby sent that bludger after you and broke your arm..."

"And Lockhart tried to repair it, but instead removed every bone in my arm." stated Harry.

"Yes, then your third year when you fell off your broom because of the dementors..."

"I got it, I got it. Please don't mention dementors. I still shudder at the thought of them."

"Sorry. So, do you want to take the Healer up on his offer about you getting your bones healed the magical way?"

"Yes. The quicker they heal, the faster I can get out of this dreadful place."

The next couple of days, the Healers and nurses kept a close watch on Harry to make sure his injuries were healing nicely. The following morning, Harry and Ginny got the word that it was safe for him to return home. They packed their belongings and walked out of the wizarding hospital. Once out on the streets, they Apparated back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Finally. Home Sweet Home."


	7. Games and Anxiety

The Start of a Family

Chapter 7

Harry was walking through the living area looking for Teddy since the six year old Metamorphmagus had decided to use the Invisibility Cloak to play "Hide and Seek". Though Harry was an excellent Seeker, he could not seek out his godson. Trying to find a invisible person was hard and Harry finally realized the difficulty of doing such. Harry continued his search around the room and reaching out, hoping he could feel the cloak in his hands.

Over in the corner of the room sat young Teddy Lupin covered with his godfather's Invisibility Cloak. At the moment, he thought this was the best game he had ever played with Harry because of his advantage. He began to giggle when his godfather would reach out to try to snatch the cloak, but find nothing but air. Teddy continued to giggle, but immediately held his hand over his mouth to cover them up, while Harry meandered throughout the room for him. It wasn't until Harry neared the corner that Teddy let a giggle escape by accident. Harry heard it and neared closer to Teddy's location.

"I wonder where Teddy could be?" Harry called out to the room. Teddy held his breath for a moment and to his surprise, Harry quickly grabbed a handful of the cloak and revealed a shocked Teddy.

"Not fair, Uncle Harry! You found me." Teddy whimpered.

"Sorry mate. That's all part of the game. Now, let's see what Kreacher's got cooked."

Harry and Teddy walked down to the dining room to find the long table full with food that would make Molly Weasley proud. Harry sat down by a very impatient and hungry Teddy. Since Ginny was going to be late for dinner, Harry decided to get Teddy fed, as well as himself, and put him to bed.

Half an hour later, Teddy was full from the large amount of food he had consumed. Harry had sent the plate to the sink to wash itself and with that done, he led Teddy to the loo to wash up for bed. Harry gathered some towels while Teddy placed himself in the tub. He insisted that bath time was play time and began to splash water all over the room. After Teddy calmed down, Harry dried himself off with a wave of his wand, and handed Teddy a towel. As Harry helped Teddy dry off and put his pyjamas on, he heard a soft pop from downstairs. He sent Teddy to his room and walked downstairs to find Ginny lying on the sofa.

"Hey. How was work?" he asked, sitting down on the sofa's armrest.

"It was fine. I was quite busy. I didn't have much time to sit down and relax. How was yours?"

"Great. I took Teddy to Diagon Alley. He insisted that we visit George, and of course, your brother had the bright idea to give him some of his finest inventions. Don't worry. I put them away for now," he said, seeing that Ginny was concerned and worried. "Then we went to the Leaky Cauldron where we talked to Neville and Hannah and the rest of the day, we spent our time here playing games."

"Seems you had an interesting day. Where is Teddy by the way?" Ginny asked while looking around for her godson.

"He's in his room."

"Oh."

A few minutes later, Teddy was running down the stairs and he greeted Ginny with such enthusiasm that he almost knocked her over. Harry had warned Teddy of his actions and to be a little more careful around Ginny's tummy. After listening to Harry's warning, Teddy looked down at Ginny's growing belly and voiced his anxiety about the new baby replacing him. Ginny felt close to tears and gazed up at Harry to see his reaction. His face was blank but his eyes were telling of a different emotion. She kept studying him as he finally responed to the worried boy.

"No, Teddy. You will not be replaced."

"Why are you having a baby, then?"

"Well..."

"Teddy, don't you want a baby brother to play with?" asked Ginny, taking over for Harry, since he seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Yeah. Is that why you are having a baby?"

"That and because Uncle Harry and I love each other so much that we wanted to have a baby."

"And I want you and this baby to have the greatest childhood since I didn't get the opportunity to have one."

"Why not?"

"Because my aunt and uncle thought it was best that I not have any fun. I had to watch the other kids have all the fun while I stay locked up in my room." Harry was uncertain that he should mention about the cupboard to his six year old godson.

"Okay. I understand."

"You do?" Harry asked, a little taken aback.

"Yes."

"Good. I'm glad," said Ginny, a sign of relief on her face.

"I'm going to be the best big brother I can be."

Soon after their conversation was complete, Harry and Ginny sent the young Lupin to bed and wished him pleasant dreams. Teddy lied down in bed and thought about what Harry and Ginny had said and the new baby. He may not be their's by blood, but he was their son, and a new baby was not going to replace that. Teddy had fallen asleep with these thoughts roaming in his mind and a smile on his face.

* * *

**_Hi everyone! I know this chapter is short, but I'm breaking free of this writer's block. I wanted to add this moment between Harry and Teddy, as well as Ginny, since I don't add Teddy in a whole lot. This moment is also based a few weeks after Harry's release from St. Mungo's and a few before Christmas. This chapter may be short, but I hope you enjoyed reading it and will review. Your reviews are the best payment and gift I could ever receive. _**

**_Thank you,_**

**_Gryffindorpride1007_**


	8. Rain and Shopping

George woke up to Fred's cries from the next room. He sleepily climbed out of bed and walked into the next room. Fred was lying on his back, legs and arms flailing around, and tears flowing down his small cheeks. George walked over to the white crib and picked up his son. The cries subsided, but George had to do more to completely silence him.

Five minutes later, George and a clean Fred quietly made their way to the small kitchen. George waved his wand around to start up breakfast. As ingredients were flying about into bowls and utensils stirred the mixture, George fixed Fred's bottle. He was hoping that Angelina would replace the bottle to solid food and soon. He thought about it again as an image of Ron, as a baby, threw mashed up food about the kitchen of the Burrow. Breakfast was almost finished cooking when Angelina emerged from the bedroom and sat down at the table.

She was surprised to see that George had taken the time to change Fred's dirty nappie, fix breakfast, and fix Fred his bottle. George saw the surprised look on her face and chuckled. He placed a plate full of eggs, sausages, and pancakes in front of his wife. She thanked him and immediately dug into the delicious meal. Once she was finished, Angelina took Fred from her husband, who needed to get ready to open the shop, and left the kitchen to dress her son and herself.

Since the day was starting off nicely, Angelina was hoping the same could be said for the sales in the shop. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes always did best compared to the other shops in Diagon Alley. When a new product surfaced, sales skyrocketed. Each product caught the eyes of many shoppers in Diagon Alley. It's main purchasers were the students of Hogwarts. George had branded the students as "Pranking Beginners". He had even admitted seeing the same gleam of mischief in a few of those student's eyes. The same gleam he himself had shared with his twin, Fred.

Fred. Once a prankster and loyal brother, now only a memory. He had done so much with George to start this amazing business. Thanks always went out to Harry for helping them along the way. Now, the joke business was thriving more than it had ever done before. Each customer seemed to burst with pride when they walked through the door. A laugh would escape a few when it belched their welcome. Every product has it's own properties, but one stood above all others... the Skiving Snackbox. It was the one that all students searched out and this pleased George immensely. The legendary snackbox was the beginning of a great success.

George walked down the spiraling stairs and entered the opening of the joke shop. He walked into the back room to collect the products that needed to be replaced on the empty shelves. It wasn't until a half hour later that George decided to unlock the door to the shop. "Another great day is beginning," he thought.

* * *

In St. Ottery Catchpole, Molly Weasley was cleaning up the kitchen from the earlier event of breakfast. She glanced out the window to see her five year old granddaughter, Victoire, running around the yard being chased by a garden gnome. Molly wandered what could have caused the gnome to chase Victoire around like that. She finished cleaning up the kitchen as she kept an eye on Victoire. It was a privilige to watch her oldest granddaughter; it meant a life without fear and the dread of fighting for your life. It was what Victoire was named after; victory. Victoire continued to play about in the yard while Molly tended to the events inside the house.

Dominique was playing with her toys in a nearby corner of the living area. She looked up to see her grandmother cleaning the kitchen. Though she was two, Dominique was an extremely gifted child. She was determined to prove herself in any way. No one knew of her magical abilities, yet, but someone would know soon. Molly walked into the room to find her youngest granddaughter doing more than playing with her toys. She had noticed that one of Dominique's dolls was floating in front of the small girl. Molly immediately squealed which had caused Dominique to lose her concentration. The doll fell to the floor as she was lifted off of it by the means of Molly Weasley. "We have another brilliant and gifted witch in the family," she thought.

* * *

Number 12 Grimmauld Place may have been hidden from Muggles, but it was home to a well known wizard and witch. The wizard known as Harry Potter had woken to dress for another day of work. By the time he had finished, Ginny had woken as well to begin her day. They both walked down the stairs to the kitchen to eat the breakfast that Kreacher had spent his time on. After breakfast, Ginny was putting on her cloak when she felt something hit the side of her growing belly. She knew she hadn't hit anything around her and immediately felt it again. She yelled out Harry's name and he ran to her side. Ginny grabbed his hand, after she stopped his rambling of inquiring questions, and placed it onto her stomach. He felt something hit his hand and looked up to see Ginny smiling. "Now I know why I'm here," he thought.

**These thoughts have nothing to do with the chapter. It was something that just popped into my mind, and I thought I would share it with all of my readers. However, the chapter begins..... NOW!**

* * *

The Start of a Family

Chapter 8

Teddy woke the next morning to the sound of rain pattering on his bedroom window. He sat up in bed and looked over at the window to see that it was not dark but gloomy. He rose out of bed, grabbed his stuffed wolf, and walked out of his bedroom. As he closed the door, he looked down the hall where Harry and Ginny's bedroom was located. Teddy began to walk down the hall when a flash of lightning struck, followed by a roll of thunder, scared him. He ran the rest of the way and stopped at his godparents door. He knocked on it several times until he was met by a disgruntled Harry.

"Uncle Harry, can I sleep with you? I'm scared."

"Come on, mate." Harry opened the door further and let Teddy walk into the room. He padded over to the bed, climbed on it, and settled beside Ginny. Harry followed suit and settled himself beside his godson. They each fell back into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The rain didn't stop for no one, not even for the shoppers of Diagon Alley. Each person was wrapped up in some way to keep the rain from soaking their clothes and the rest of their body. Young children were pulling from their parents to jump in the large water puddles created by the rain, resulting in a wet child and an upset parent. Though it may have been a rainy day, it didn't keep down the business of the oh so popular Weasley store. George was going about the shop helping others with a gift selection, while Angelina bagged the customer's purchased items. The business continued to boom, no matter how many years it had been since Fred's passing.

George had left the front of the store to collect some more products in the back room when he heard Angelina welcome another customer. Only this time, it wasn't a customer, but his baby sister, Ginny. He emerged from the back room to address his sister. Ginny had decided that she would get some shopping done while Molly kept watch over young Teddy. Harry would have had the opportunity, but he was called into work at the last minute.

"Hey, Gin. What brings you here?"

"I stopped by to give you a message from Mum. She wants you and Angelina to come over tonight."

"Why tonight? Is something wrong?" Angelina asked, hoping there wasn't any bad news to relay to the family.

"No. Nothing's wrong. She justs wants you to come over. She said to be there around six."

"Okay."

"Good. Well, I better go. I have some shopping to do. Bye."

"Bye, Ginny. Good luck with the shopping." Angelina hugged her sister-in-law before she left the shop.

Ginny left and walked down the pathway of Diagon Alley to Madam Malkin's, where she needed to be fitted for some new robes. The few she had were becoming to small for her growing belly, and it was time for some new ones. Once Madam Malkin finished her measurements, she set about getting the robes made for Ginny. She paid for the robes, and let the tailor know when she would be back to pick them up. She set about going to another store to find some baby clothes, and her eyes landed on the cutest outfits the store had to offer. She even found a onesie that read "Daddy's Little Seeker", and upon instinct, grabbed the clothing and dashed to the counter. The young witch behind the counter looked up, and for a moment, lost the ability to talk. She attempted several times, until she finally mustered a few words out.

"You're Ginny Potter."

"Um.. yes. I am. Do I know you?"

"No, ma'am. Um.. I hate to be rude, but is it true?" the young witch whispered, afraid someone might hear her talking to the famous Ginny Potter.

"Is what true?" Ginny asked confused.

"About you having Dean Thomas' baby?"

"That is a lie. Dean is a friend of the family, and when he was interviewed, his words were twisted around. Never believe what you read unless it's written by me, of course."

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry if I seemed rude."

"It's perfectly fine. At least someone wants to know the truth. Others just believe what they read and immediately jump to conclusions."

"Right. Will this be all?"

"Yes. Thank you." Ginny grabbed the bag that the young witch offered her and waved goodbye to her as she left the store. She went to the Leaky Cauldron, where she had a brief conversation with Hannah, and Flooed back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She climbed the stairs to the nursery and placed the clothes into the cupboard that both she and Harry had recently purchased. She looked around the room, and imagined what it would look like once it was finished. At the moment, it was it's recent decor, but it would soon have the color of pale blue on the walls with a Quidditch theme along to brighten it up.

She glanced at the room before turning on her heel and walking down the stairs to the fireplace. She grabbed a handful of Floo powder and clearly said "The Burrow". She stumbled out of the fireplace into the familiar, warm living area of the Burrow. Ginny was surprised that the children were not running around or that Molly had grabbed her in a hug. She called out to her mother, but no response was heard. She walked into the kitchen, where she saw a note on the table. Her mother had stated that she had to visit Aunt Muriel and would be back around four. Ginny decided that she would skip out on going over to her annoying aunt's, and went back to the fireplace. She landed in the Atrium of the Ministry, and dusted the soot off of herself. She noticed the lift had just stopped and she quickly walked over to get a ride to the Auror Department. After a couple of minutes, the lift stopped and Ginny got off. Upon her arrival, she was met with a young trainee who recognized her immediately.

"Mrs. Potter?"

"Yes?"

"Mr. Potter is with the Minister at the moment, but if you would like to wait, he should be back soon."

"Thank you. I'll just wait at his desk." The young trainee nodded his head, and returned to his previous activity. Ginny walked over to Harry's desk which was inside a small cubicle. She saw that he had some pictures of criminals, and those of the Weasleys and their wedding. It amazed her that it wouldn't be long till he would have a new picture to place on this desk. She sat in the chair and looked over what had recently happened that involved the Aurors to sort out. As she was skimming the papers, one caught her eye. It seemed that Lucius Malfoy was being released from Azkaban. Ginny was halfway down the page when a voice startled her.

"Find anything interesting?"

"Harry! Don't scare me like that again." Ginny placed her hand over her heart, hoping that it would help to calm it down. Harry bent down on his knees to look up into Ginny's face.

"I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" He put on the best puppy dog face he could muster. He knew it would work, even though he wasn't really in trouble. Ginny looked at Harry and laughed softly.

"Yes, you're forgiven.

"I'm glad you're here. I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Kingsley wants me to handle the case of Lucius Malfoy. I'm going to be quite busy dealing with it, so that means I won't be at home much."

"Will you be going to Azkaban?"

"Yes. I'm going to hate it, but I have no choice. I'll be thrilled when Kingsley gets the rest of the dementors away from there. Apparently, some refuse to leave. I'm going to be a lot to handle when I get home."

"Don't worry. I can handle it."

"Really? You're not upset about this?"

"No. It's your job and you have to do it. I understand." She patted his cheek, and looked longingly into his eyes.

"Thanks for understanding. Did you get your shopping done?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. I got some of the cutest outfits."

"Cute? Love, boys are not suppose to wear cute outfits. Much less, outfits."

"You'll get over it once you see what I got."

"I'm sure I will. Where's Teddy?"

"With Mum at Aunt Muriel's."

"Ugh. Poor thing. I feel for him. He'll have some stories to tell when he gets home."

"Right. Well, I better go so you can get back to work. I think Mum was hinting around that she wanted me to help her with tonight."

"Okay. I'll see you later. I love you." Harry kissed her tenderly on the lips before she departed his side.

"I love you, too. Bye." She kissed him again and left the department. She rode the lift back down to the Atrium and stepped into the fireplace to use the Floo network.

* * *

**Yes, I know this chapter ended on a sore note, and I'm sorry for that. I'm still suffering from writer's block. I'm also busy with work, so I don't have much time to write anything. I'm trying, though. Also, after the next chapter, I will be skipping a few months, so that we are closer to bringing Ginny's baby boy into the world. Again, sorry for the sore ending. Please review. I don't care if it is constructive criticism. Your reviews make my day a whole lot better. **


	9. Graves and Wedding Details

**Chapter 9: Graves and Wedding Details**

Harry was sitting amongst many dark stones that bore the names of passed loved ones, quietly thinking of what he was going to say. With every visit, he could never think of anything suitable to say, since those that were buried were not there to respond to him. Only in spirit were they to actually be with him. He stared at the stones that were engraved with his parents names and Sirius'. Those closest to him had to die at the hand of another, and in such an unpleasant way. Harry's thoughts continued to flow as he sat in the cold snow.

Ginny was waiting at the table in the Burrow's kitchen drinking a cup of tea while her mother busied herself with the cleaning. Ginny had arrived early since Harry had left to visit Godric's Hollow. She had walked in to find her mother cleaning the kitchen, but as of now she was cleaning the rest of the Burrow. Molly had insisted that she go ahead and make sure her home was sparkling clean before she left to help Ginny with her baby shopping. While Molly finished, Ginny impatiently tapped her fingertips on the table, counting down the minutes until Hermione would arrive. Hermione had suggested that shopping in Muggle London after leaving Diagon Alley would be the best option in finding more baby items that perhaps Diagon Alley didn't have. Molly, however, had argued the fact that she wasn't taking the chance of going into Muggle London and would end her trip once the girls had stopped shopping in Diagon Alley.

About five minutes to the next hour, Hermione Apparated outside of the Burrow's wards. She walked up the pathway and emerged through the doorway with an eager look on her face. She was thrilled to pieces that she had the opportunity to help Ginny in shopping for the baby. Hermione had to admit that she never had the chance to help someone baby shop. Fleur may have been the first to have the Weasley grandchildren, and now gracing the family with another, but Hermione had just bought a few items. She never got to join Fleur in helping to choose what went best in the nursery or what the baby should wear or use. This was a new chance and a new experience. Ginny was her closest friend and she was thankful that Ginny had asked her opinion.

The three ladies stepped into the fireplace and called out the Leaky Cauldron. As each one stepped out and dusted off, they were met by Hannah Abbott, who had some excellent news to share. It seemed that Neville had proposed after dating the Hufflepuff alum for five years. Ginny and Hermione were ecstatic and quickly pestered Hannah with wedding details. Hannah had reassured them that it would be another year before she could put all of those details into order and walk down the aisle to wed Neville and become Hannah Longbottom. She had also reassured Ginny that Neville being at Hogwarts was not going to interfere in their relationship as she would be joining him after closing the Leaky Cauldron down each night; they would still have their current home, as a summer getaway.

After a long and endearing conversation with Hannah, Ginny, Hermione, and Molly arrived in Diagon Alley. Ginny had hoped that this day would go well, and so far it had. It had even brought good fortune which entailed the finding of more clothes, bottles, nappies, and toys. They continued to find more and more items until it was time for lunch. The only item left on the list was a crib which Ginny and Hermione would find in Muggle London.

Meanwhile in Godric's Hollow, Harry was walking the street from the graveyard to his parents home. With the magic that was placed upon it, the small and spacious house was the same as the day of Voldemort's invasion. Harry stopped at the gate and reread the plaque that he came to on his first visit. It seemed that more people had paid tribute to him for the demise of Voldemort and congratulations on his marriage and the upcoming birth of his son. He knew there must be some good in this world for these people to extend their blessings on him finding the life he had always longed for.

Harry looked up from the plaque to gaze at the house. How much he had longed to open the door and explore the home that his parents had sacrificed so much in. He had been told that he would never be able to enter the house with the powerful magic that was placed on it protecting it from destruction. His hopes had started to fade as he placed his hand on the gate. To his surprise, the gate swung open.


	10. AN!

I'm so sorry that this isn't a new chapter to this story but as I have put on my profile, I'm putting my Harry Potter stories on Hiatus as I don't have any of my material from past chapters of each story. In the meantime, I'm going to branch out in different categories. I'm in the process of working on an Aladdin story as I'm a huge Disney fan and Aladdin being my number one favorite. I have already published a chapter and working on the next. I will also try my hardest to come up with a story for the movie "What's Your Number?".

I hope all my readers will support me as I continue on this path and will follow me as I do so.

Thank you all!


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